Broadband Comparison

Broadband

Broadband costs: finding the cheapest broadband

The cheapest broadband is not necessarily the best broadband, so here is a guide to what to look for when you're looking at broadband costs, and how to spot potential pitfalls when it comes to the cheapest broadband deals.

Does price matter?

The cheapest broadband, or the fastest, or the most popular, which do you go for? The cheapest broadband isn't necessarily the best and you shouldn't go for the cheapest broadband without making sure it actually meets your needs. Different broadband packages give you different things for different prices.

All broadband packages, even the cheapest broadband, usually have two separate charges - a set-up cost and then a regular monthly fee. On top of this there is also an additional cost consideration, which is the BT landline cost. Some broadband providers enable you to have their service without paying BT a separate monthly line rental cost, whilst others require you to keep your BT line with the associated additional monthly cost.

Set-up costs

From the broadband provider's perspective, setting up even the cheapest broadband consists of the administration, supplying a broadband modem and occasionally having to send an engineer round, regardless of whether you have their cheapest broadband or not.

However, because the marketplace is so competitive even the cheapest broadband deals won't always have a set-up fee, so even if you want the cheapest broadband you should look closely at the details, just because it might be the cheapest broadband doesn't mean you have to automatically pay a set-up fee.

Speed vs. cost

When looking for the cheapest broadband deals you will notice that the broadband packages offering the highest download speeds will usually cost a premium. However, broadband download speeds of up to 8Mb (which is enough for the average user) are available through cheap broadband deals from providers who bundle the service into their television and telephone packages or make it available to their existing customers. Furthermore, you need to consider the combination of price, contract length and broadband speed to make sure you get the deal that best suits you.

Contract length

Whether you choose the most expensive broadband option or go for the cheapest broadband available, most providers will make you commit to a 12-month contract. You are then committed to paying a monthly fee, with the cheapest broadband deals starting at about £5 a month. You should generally expect to pay around £15 a month for a 2Mbps connection and, although this is not the obvious cheapest broadband choice, it will usually work out the most competitive because cheap broadband deals will often increase in cost after a set period of time. The cheapest broadband also may not offer you the best download speeds or data limits, but use our site to compare all of the deals available and you can make an informed and confident choice.
If you want the cheapest or most competitive home broadband without a 12-month contract there are some services that require only a 1-month commitment. Even some of the cheapest broadband packages provide this option, but check the small print because the cheapest broadband can turn out to be more expensive than you think. The reason for this is that additional costs can be incurred for cancelling the agreement. Sometimes you are required to pay for the equipment that was provided free when you signed up.

Just because it might be the cheapest broadband with a 1-month contract you also need to consider speed and download limits, so check out our site thoroughly to get the best broadband deal for you. Like most things in life cheapest is not always the best so be careful when choosing the cheapest broadband package.

Sign up to our broadband newsletterStay updated with our free broadband and mobile broadband newsletter.